Information Literacy Game

Problem Statement

The goal was to help college students improve information literacy skills in a variety of contexts.

Approach

Our design and development staff created a Web-based game, including video elements that focused on some of the tenets of information literacy.

Solution

We designed this role-playing game to challenge the student to use knowledge and skills already covered in the classroom rather than learn new material as a part of playing the game. Supported by a grant from the Association of College & Research Libraries, the game explores two areas of information literacy: bias and authority.

The game puts the player in the role of an intern who is working in the justice system. The player is assigned by the “detective” to help track down a notorious criminal by uncovering misinformation that has been planted in the game’s four scenarios, “Newsstand,” “Coffee Shop,” “Library,” and “Apartment.” When you play, you chose a case file and read the “rap sheet” before going the next step to “investigate.” In the Newsstand scenario, the criminal is wanted for “Not verifying author’s background info” and other offenses against authoritative writing.

While investigating the Newsstand, you’re looking for clues among the magazines, trying to find the least authoritative piece of information. The other scenarios look for the most authoritative information as well as sources with the most or the least bias.

After successfully completing these four scenarios, you’ve finished your internship with the detective. Then you join the Assistant District Attorney to help them choose a juror and an expert witness. Using video “interviews” with three juror candidates and three prospective expert witnesses, you need to determine if the juror can be unbiased and whether the expert witness has sufficient authority to be helpful to the case.